Princess Qiu smiles. Her hand brushes the hilt of her katana and she pulls just an inch of it from its sheath - and whisper of metal is enough to divide the world.

Everyone who has ever faced her has told tales of how Qiu wields the power of her Sunshards, each contradictory and impossible. The truth, though complex in magic and metaphysics, is profoundly simple in intent and effect. Her blade cuts away everyone and everything else so that she can be the absolute centre of each person's world - and so she can give everyone her undivided attention in exchange.

Stare hard enough at the edges of the world, the perfect severing of reality, and you'll see her again and again. There she is with human-shaped Hyra, facing her down beneath the full moon, blades in each of their hands. There she is with Cyanis, competing for whose kissing booth can attract more customers. There she is with Katherine Isabella Fluffybiscuits, engaged in a trial of ultimate endurance: can she continue providing pets for the [i]entire[/i] duration of the pet-ee's nap?

But in every other respect she is here, now, the centre of everything.

"But why postpone, [b]Rose[/b]?" says Princess Qiu, turning her full attention directly onto you, letting the others and their failure to recognize you to fade into the background. "You have been dogging my footsteps for months now. You have been ambushing my demons and I hear you have terribly humiliated and confused the poor Scales of Meaning."

She comes down the steps, scales still glistening wet with ruby and gold, as her talons run along your collar and then up under your chin.

"I have had so many other priorities lately but time and again you seemed [i]so[/i] determined to push yourself to the top of my list. What is it that could have attracted such intensity from a [i]monk[/i] of all things, hmm? If I didn't respect your vows so much I would even suggest you had become obsessed with me."

But at the same time, in a different world, she's taken the arm of Yue - gently! Casually, even, the kind of ordinary gesture that proves that she's not made of fire and ruby, the kind of gesture that answers unaskable questions about the texture and smoothness of scale and the warmth that runs beneath. "If you intend to bake, [b]Yue[/b], then of course I'm going to help! Come on, the kitchen is this way!"

There's such [i]interest[/i] in her eyes as she walks with you, such focus which is all the more intoxicating by the fact that she doesn't seem in the slightest bit disappointed by what she sees. Any stuttering or hesitancy or awkward laugh she can wave off with such confidence that it's impossible to think that you've somehow fooled her into thinking you're someone you're not. Princess Yin had seen through you and her eyes had hardened with contempt; Princess Qiu's blaze with genuine fascination. 

"It's a bit of a mess, but I know where everything is," she said, and sounded legitimately embarrassed even though her idea of messy was 'left a box of cereal on the table'. Everything else was gorgeously clean while also being surprisingly compact and ordinary - after all the cyclopean architecture outside, Princess Qiu at least has enough sense in her not to put the stove five hundred meters away from the sink. "Tell me what you need and I'll fetch it for you!" 

"Hey, that's a lot [b]Chen[/b], so thank you," said Qiu elsewhere still, patting your head affectionately. "The Scales made it sound like she was in the game, and if she wasn't I'm going to bind her into a vending machine. I might do the same to Yin, to be honest. Is she back on her bullshit again? I'll take care of it, don't worry"

She hasn't stopped patting your head, even crooking her arm around your neck so she can gently lead you along as she does so. 

"But anyway, what I've really been thinking about recently is painting. You wanted to see that from me, right? Well since you made me commit to not knocking over any other kingdoms until you showed up again I've had nothing to do [i]but[/i] paint. Have you gotten the opportunity lately? I can't imagine, with all the running about you've had to do..."